Combined heel shell and comb for looms



3 1 w. A. BLANCHARD COMBINED HEEL SHELL AND COMB FOR LOOMS Filed June 6, 1950 .INVENTOR WILLIAM A. BLANCHARD ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 25, 1951 I COMBINED HEEL SHELL AND COMB FOR LOOMS William A. Blanchard, Millbury, Mass., assignor to Crompton '& Knowles Loom Works, Worcestor, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 6, 1950, Serial No. 166,424

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shedding mechanisms, such as the Knowles head, and it is the general object of the invention to provide a heel shell for the pivoted ends of vibrator levers combined with a comb to hold the levers in spaced relation.

The type of shedding mechanism to which the invention relates more particularly employs a series of vibrator levers pivoted on a heel pin and having mounted thereon vibrator gears pivotally connected to harness lever connectors. A pattern chain under the vibrator levers determines the vertical position of the gears with respect to two oppositely turning actuator cylinder gears. When the pattern chain lifts the lever it is necessaryto provide some means for holding the pivoted end of the vibrator lever against upward motion relative to the heel pin, and this is customarily done by a heel shell parallel to the heel pin and extending over the pivoted or heel ends of the levers.

In order to insure correct spacing of the vibrator levers and registry thereof with the pattern chain it has also been customary in the past to employ a comb serving as a guide which permits vertical motion of the levers while holding them over their respective sections of the chain. In the past the .comb has been held in fixed position on arms forming part of the frame of the shedding mechanism. This comb has been made separate from the heel shell and has required its own supporting means independently of the shell. 7

It is an important object ofthe present invention to make the heel shell and comb adj acent to the heel pin in a single unitary structure so that attaching means which serve to hold the shell in position will also hold the comb.

It is occasionally necessary to replace a broken or worn vibrator lever, in which event it has been common practice heretofore to remove the heel shell or swing it around the heel pin to permit upward movement of the heel and of the vibrator levers from the pin. Y

It is a further object of the invention toprovide a combined heel shell and comb mounted to swing around the heel pin to a position in which the comb will be out of the path of the vibrator lever being removed. I i g It has also been customaryto employresiliently mounted chain guards which hold the pattern chains down against. their cylinders and these have ordinarily. had fixed mountings on the frame of the shedding mechanism.

3 It is another object of the invention to provide the combined shelland comb with'a pattern chain "guard mounted thereon and so disposed that the comb and guard can swing with the shell when it is necessary to remove one of the vibrator levers having the preferred form of the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on line 2-2, Fig. 1,

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detailed vertical sections on lines 3-3, 44 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 2,

parts being omitted,

Fig. 6 is a detailed plan View looking in the direction of arrow 6, Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a perspective View, parts broken away, of the combined heel shell and comb unit shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is adiagrammatic view indicating the manner in which the combined heel and comb unit is swung to a position permitting removal of a damaged vibrator lever,

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9-9, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the modified form of the invention.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the loom frame I has mounted thereon a shedding mechanism K provided with harness lever Jacks 2 pivoted at 3 to the frame t or the shedding mechanism. lop and bottom rotary actuators o' and 6, respectively, are driven in any approved manner in timed relation with the loom and are adapted for cooperation one at a time with vibrator gears l rotatable on vibrator levers. The mechanism K is adapted for use with shifting shuttle boxes and has vibrator levers H 101" the warp harnesses and levers B for the shuttle boxes (not shown). The frame 4 has front and back arms 9 and iii, respectively, which support a heel pin 1 l on which the heel end of the vibrator levers, the lert as viewed in Fig. l,

are pivoted. These levers have bearings 12 which cated in Fig. 1 is adapted for cooperation with a lock knife 20 rocked periodically by a finger 2i which cooperates with a cam 22 rotating with the bottom cylinder 5. An inner comb 23 is mounted as at 24 on the frame 4 and spaces the inner ends of the vibrator levers. This comb has teeth which extend upwardly between the vibrator levers to hold them in vertical position.

It is customary to provide some form of guard for the pattern chain It to hold its bars down in proper position relative to .the .cylinder 14.

One of these guards is shown in Fig. 1 and .includes a stand 25 fixed to the forward arm 9 of the frame 3 and having a finger 26 pivoted thereto as at 27. A compression spring 28 surrounds a rod 25 having a nut 3e thereon which engages part of the finger 26. The nor-maleifect of the spring 28 is to tend to turn the finger 26 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 down toward cylinder 14. Ordinarily, there is a second finger similar to finger 25 for the rear end of the chain bars 16 having a fixed mounting similar to the bracket 26. A second finger is provided herein but is mounted on the combined heel and comb unit and will be described hereinafter.

The matter thus far set forth is of usual construction and operates in the ordinary manner. When the pattern chain l permits a vibrator lever to be in low position the associated vibrator gear i will be given substantially a half 'turn by the bottom actuator 6 to rock the corresponding harness jack lever 2 in one direction, and when the jack lever is to'be rocked in the opposite direction the pattern chain will lift the associated vibrator lever so that its vibrator gear can be turned in the opposite direction by the top rotary actuator 5. The vibrator levers turn angularly around the pin H when moving vertically under influence of the pattern chain.

In carrying the preferred form of the invention into effect a simple form of combined heel shell and comb unit U is provided. As shown in Fig. '7 the unit may be made of an inverted channel shaped member 35 having a top web 35 and inner and outer vertical flanges 31' and 38 shown at the right and left, respectively,'in Fig. 7. Welded to the under side of the web 36 is a front bearing member 4i} provided with a bore 4! to receive the front end of pin H. The latter is secured as at 42 to the front and back arms 9 and H) of the frame '4. A second bearing member 33 spaced rearwardly from the bearing 401s also welded to the under side of the web "36 and has a bore "44 aligned with bore 4! to receive the pin ll.

Each of the levers 'H and B requires a form of guide comb which in the present instance is afforded'by vertical slots cut in the inner flange 3''! of the unit U. Thus, the forward part of this flange is provided with vertical slots 46 transverse of the member U and of such width as to accommodate the levers H. The rear part of flange 3'! is provided with similar vertical slots 41 for the vibrator levers B.

Secured'to the top web '36 are front andback lugs 50 and 5| respectively secured to the unit U preferably by welding. These lugs are secured to the arms '9 and In by screws 52 and 53 respectively which hold the unit .U tightly to the framed with the. flange 31 in vertical posic a d the lots 4 a 41. crrect yrlaced to effect reg y of thei c r es ondin ibrator levers with the pattern chain,

The heel of each vibrator lever is proyided with 2, lug 56 concentric with the heel pin H and as shown in Fig. 4 these lugs 56 lie close to the under side of the web 3'5 of the unit U to prevent substantial upward movement of the outer ends of the vibrator levers when the latter are raised by the pattern chain. The flange 38 extends downwardly from .the web 35 along the heels 55 of the several vibrator levers to give rigidity to the unit U. Except for the lugs 59 and 5! the unit is located between the arms .9 and ,I0,;see: is-

Mention has already been made of the second chain guard finger which is shown more particularly in Fig.6. This finger, indicated at 60, is pivoted asat'fil to a small stand 32 fastened as at '63 to that part of the flange 5? between .the group of .slots 46 and the group ll. A rod Bil surrounded by a compression spring 55 passes through part of the finger 60 and has a nut 66 on the lower end thereof. The action of fingerBO is similar to that-of finger 28, and these fingers are alike'except for the manner of their mounting. It will be apparent from Fig. 6 that the finger fill and parts associated therewith are out of vertical alignment with the vibrator levers H and B, the groups of harness and shuttle box levers being separated by a space 6i to accommodate the guard finger 6B for angular movement around the pin 1 'I.

When the preferred form of the invention is in normal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the screws '52 and 53 will hold the unit U rigidly to the frame 4 and each lever will be properly guided by its slots 46 or 41. The finger 9 and associated parts will be in position to push down the rear end of any chain bar It which may tend to ride high'as the cylinder 14 has its rotary chain feeding motion. The flange 31 serves as a comb to cause correct registry of levers H and B with the pattern chain.

Should it be necessary to replace a vibrator lever the screws 52 and 53 will be removed and the unit U will be swung around heel pin I I' from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8. During this swinging motion the finger and stand 62 will move upwardly through the space 61 so that'these parts need not be removed from the unit U. The flange 38 can engage therbottoms of the vibrator levers which serve as a stop to hold the unit U in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. After the damaged vibrator lever has been replaced the unit U and the finger 6B are swung back from the dotted line position to the normal full line position, Fig. 8, after which the screws 52 and 53 are replaced and operations can be resumed.

In order that the swinging motion of unit U and finger 60 may be free and unobstructed the arms 9 and I0 are provided with curved surfaces 10 over which the lugs 50 and 5| can move, see Fig. 9. These surfaces ID are preferably concentric with the heel pin II and constitute a slight modification of the arms 9 and [0 as ordinarily found in the usual mechanism It will benoted that when the unit U is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8 the comb flange 3'! is spaced from the vibrator levers. but the latter will be held in vertical position by the usual comb 23, and when theunit is returned to its normal position the vibrator levers will require very little manipulation to effect registry with their guide slots 46 and 41. V

he mod d orm o t e i ventio s own in Fi 19 prov sion is made for hc di is theun t in fixed'positicniwithout the lugs .50 and 51' or the fast-'52 and'ta ffr'n' this "Iorm of the invention the unit, designated at ULissimilarto unit U,

but has an intermediate bearing lug formed with a split bearing 16 which can be clamped to the heel pin II by nut H on screw 18. Under ordinary conditions the nut Tl will clamp the bearing tightly against the pin and the unit Ul and comb unit for the vibrator levers of a sheddin'g' mechanism. While the invention has been "set forth more particularly with respect to the well-known Knowles head, certain features of the invention are not necessarily limited to that type of mechanism. The unit U may be made of channel shaped steel and has a web 36 which limits upward movement of the lugs 56 of the vibrator levers and also has an integral flange 31 slotted as at 46 and ll to provide a comb for the vibrator levers. In both forms of the invention the combined shell and comb is held rigidly in fixed position for normal operation, but when it is necessary to replace a damaged vibrator lever the fastening means, either the screws 52 and 53. or the nut H, can be manipulated to permit swinging to the dotted line position of Fig. 8 to permit replacement of the damaged vibrator lever. It will also be seen that the guard finger 60 for the bars it of the pattern chain is mounted on the unit U or UI and swings upwardly between the two groups of vibrator levers when the combined shell and comb is rocked about fixed pin ll.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In loom shedding mechanism having a frame including a heel pin, a plurality of vibrator levers having downwardly opening bearings pivoted on the heel pin, a combined heel shell and comb unit mounted on the pin for angular movement therearound and having a web extending over the levers normally restraining upward movement of the levers relative to the pin and having a comb depending from the web to space the levers, and means normally holding the unit stationary on the pin but releasable to permit swinging of the unit around the pin to a position enabling a lever to be lifted from engagement with said pin.

2. In loom shedding mechanism having a frame including a plurality of vibrator levers pivoted on a heel pin on the frame, a unit mounted for pivotal movement on the heel pin including a web extending over the levers to limit upward movement of the latter relative to the pin and including also a comb on the web in position to space the levers when the unit is in normal position, and holding means normally securing the unit in normal position but releasable to permit angular movement of the unit around the pin to a position in which a lever can be moved upwardly from the pin along a path at one side of said web and comb.

3. In loom shedding mechanism having a heel pin and a plurality of vibrator levers pivoted thereon, a combined heel shell and comb unit ,3, I mounted on and for pivotal movement around the pin, said unit having a web extending over the levers to limit upward movement of the latter with respect to the pin and having a comb flange depending from one side ofthe -web formed with slots to receive and space the levers, a second flange depending from the other side of the web to reinforce the latter, and means normally holding-the unit with the web thereof over the levers and with the latter in said slots, said means being releasable to permit angular movement of the unit around the pin and the unit thereupon being *turnable to lift the comb ,flang'e away from the levers and move the second flange into engagement with the levers enabling the -latter'*to serve as a stop limiting angular "motion of the unitaround said pin.

4.'In mshedding mechanism having a frame supporting a heel pin on which a plurality of vibrator levers are pivoted, a combined heel shell and comb unit mounted on the pin for angular movement therearound, said unit including a web extending over the levers to limit upward movement thereof relative to the pin and including also a comb dependent from the web to space the levers, lugs extending from the top of the web overhanging part of said frame, and means pass ing through the lugs into the frame holding the unit in normal stationary position, said means being removable and when removed enabling the unit to swing around the pin to a position permitting upward removal of a lever from said pin.

5. In loom shedding mechanism having a pattern chain and a heel pin on which are pivoted vibrator levers which extend over the chain, a combined heel shell and comb unit mounted on the pin for angular movement therearound, said unit having a web normally extending over the levers to limit upward movement of the latter relative to the pin and having also a comb dependent from the web spacing the levers and holding the latter in register with the pattern chain, and a chain guard finger mounted on the unit out of vertical register with said levers, said unit when moving angularly around said pin moving the web to one side of the levers to permit upward removal of a lever from the pin and moving said finger upwardly with said unit at one side of said levers.

6. In loom shedding mechanism having a heel pin and a plurality of vibrator levers pivoted thereon, a combined heel shell and comb unit having a web extending over the levers to limit upward movement of the latter relative to the pin and having a comb depending from the web to space the levers, bearings secured to and depending from the web receiving the pin to provide for pivotal movement of the unit around the pin, and clamp means associated with one of said bearings normally holding the unit stationary with respect to the pin, said clamp means being releasable to permit angular movement of the unit around the pin to move the web and comb to a position out of the path of a lever moving upwardly from the pin.

7. A combined heel shell and comb unit for a loom shedding mechanism having a heel pin on which vibrator levers are pivoted, said unit comprising a web for location over the levers, a flange depending from the web and slotted to provide a comb for the levers, and bearings secured to and depending from the web to receive the heel pin.

8. A combined heel shell and comb unit for a loom shedding mechanism having a heel pin on which vibrator levers are pivoted, said unit comprising a web to be located over the levers and vA icqmbmesl. e l -l,1 .l and 4 9mb unit Ior a .lOQm she d ng meehwnsm in a. pattern @c ail; and a h el pin 9;; wibnator levexs ax p ot cl, said :unif .wmp mg web for law- 1 r flange depending irpmfihe w-w. hayin apamt em :sm tedo-Iorm womb t9 mas er the le w th. fih pan em f ha n. abeafingmeeas on the un t tmqce ve (me h e pin. a d :a chain uard-f ne -11 uni ed Qnsaiq un at one de :Qf vs id ,slotted ine t -9 f 'the flange.

0- A ned an e shel end 011110 zllm :Iur a 1 0m :sheddmg ameah niem Le -4g a wtta chain and a heel pin on which vibrator levers are pimteq, isaig unit c mpn s hg a WEJQ Q g qqati n aver th l verfi. a flange d em ng .tr' me web .ng i part thergqf slqttegi 1 .0 ioxm .a {comb reglst th lea r ith -th pattern Qha nJ hear: ing means an me un t receive the heel pin. and awsha n guard finger ount d Qnnsaid flan e Q; 91}? side Q t e S t part the oi.

' WILLIAM ,BL N R w w Wayne,

Number 

